First time to a dark(er) site... What essentials

[Fozzie]

By jinks ! Such luxury, when I was a lad it was a metal frame canvas rucksack, streams for water and a crust of bread and cheese for snap !

Whatever next ....cheesecake ?

Nick.

Was thinking a birds trifle mix, you only need a alpine burner, bottle of water and a pan to whip one of those up, and you get spinkles on top too...

[faulksy]

check for a phone signal close to your observing site incase you need your phone then you can walk to that place to ring for help. last year i smashed my sump on my car and had to walk 8 miles to get a signal, nightmare

[Beulah]

Wow Mike, that was a tough one.

[scarp15]

check for a phone signal close to your observing site incase you need your phone then you can walk to that place to ring for help. last year i smashed my sump on my car and had to walk 8 miles to get a signal, nightmare

Earlier this year, I was observing at a remote location. I heard a loud clunk sound and turned round to see that the hand brake had failed and the car was rolling backwards towards a ditch. Somehow I managed to very quickly get behind it and steady it for a few seconds before running to the drivers door (whilst it had started to roll again) and force the hand brake / gear stick. It was a very close call, no reception, which also would have involved a walk out for a few miles, and I am sure would have been highly amusing to the break down crew.

Usually it is my battery I am concerned about and will not even plug in a 12V hair dryer for a couple of minutes as this did a good job at draining the battery once, but at least on this occasion I was at a star party at the time. Perhaps as Mike has stated, try to be aware as to the location from destination in which reception cuts off.

[dick_dangerous]

Going to a dark site for astronomy is a very good hobby. For this hobby you will need the following:

• Telescope, naturally, and my binos, and all the bits to go with them
• Mobile phone, to send texts to my wife saying things like, "Erm, I'll be back soon I promise, it's just I'm trying to find the Owl Nebula..." She's usually asleep by then anyway.
• Warm clothing, including thermals for those cold nights in the UK (i.e. most of them)
• Turn Left at Orion and a very old copy of Phillips Guide to the Stars and Planets
• A red torch - dark sites are, by definition, dark. So don't forget a torch!
• A flask of weak lemon drink

Thanks,

DD

n.b. Always tell someone where you're going. In fact by far the best thing to take with you is someone else!

[Moonshine132435]

Do you old hands often go to dark sites alone, or is it generally with another enthusiast? I'd feel a bit weird setting up in some field on my own?

[scarp15]

Do you old hands often go to dark sites alone, or is it generally with another enthusiast? I'd feel a bit weird setting up in some field on my own?

Yep, personally I have no issues going to a dark site alone. It is good to have the best of both worlds though, so will meet up on alternate occasions with society members at their dark site. I would say that 95% of my astro time is spent at dark sites.

[lbscherm]

Lovely comprehensive guide! Thanks guys  

[acey]

Do you old hands often go to dark sites alone, or is it generally with another enthusiast? I'd feel a bit weird setting up in some field on my own?

Always alone. If anyone happens to stumble upon me in the night and suddenly sees a huge figure padded out with multiple layers of clothing and with a red light on his head then believe me, they're more scared of me than I am of them. One time a car stopped next to where I'd parked mine so I went over to see what they wanted. As soon as they saw me coming out of the darkness they burnt rubber. Maybe thought I was an alien or something.

[Moonshine132435]

LOL, that's hilarious Acey.

[Fozzie]

One time a car stopped next to where I'd parked mine so I went over to see what they wanted. As soon as they saw me coming out of the darkness they burnt rubber. Maybe thought I was an alien or something.

Lol what were you driving, a delorean?